Fighter
Fighter was a descriptive term for a warrior skilled with a variety of weapons and trained in the arts of war. A skilled fighter defined the front line of any battle, breaking through enemy ranks and holding the line while their allies maneuvered. All fighters were trained to use virtually any armor or weapon the situation required; a fighter could use an axe, a rapier, or a greatsword with roughly equivalent skill. As well as being combat generalists, most fighter also specialized in a particular skillset, such as archery or combat magic. Notable fighters * Durtom Crûsgar * Terron Blackwell * Dirk Dankil * Chizar the Scro * Hauri Irigosha Culture Among the most common adventurers, fighters came from an innumerable set of backgrounds. Some were knights in the service of a quest or elite foot soldiers whilst others were ambitious would-be overlords or hardened mercenaries. What brought fighters together, however, was their common roots as warriors who put themselves in the thick of battle, between their comrades and harm's way; while many fighters could be called disreputable, few, if any, were true cowards. All fighters drew on a wealth of experience built by others who'd come before them, though some had more formal training than others. Many fighters came to their profession through membership in a militia or army, while others acquired their skills in military academies. Others were more or less self-educated, their skills hardened through hard-earned experience rather than formal instruction. Some fighters were brought to the ways of martial combat by a threat to their home and others were a part of a long family tradition. These diverse backgrounds and motivations meant most fighters did not see themselves as part of a greater brotherhood or fellowship. Instead, fighters perceived their friends and brothers in those with whom they'd faced danger together, distinguishing little by profession. Fighters were common in nearly every part of Ord and though they were sometimes overlooked due to their widespread nature, truly skilled fighters were well-respected for their abilities. While many fighters operated on their own or as parts of informally organized groups, others held themselves to a higher ideal and were part of knightly orders. These included such renowned groups as the Shinng Blades of Findle, the Knights of the Chalice, or the Brotherhood of the Raven. Likewise, fighters came from a wide variety of races. Among humans, dwarves, elves (particularly grey elves), perian halflings and dragonborn fighters were particularly common, drawing on the military traditions of each race. Half-orc fighters were also common, though less so, and were typically outcasts among both humans and short-tooth orcs who'd taken their hardships and channeled it into a force for discipline and martial skill. Among the goblin-kin races, hobgoblins were most commonly fighters, the other races typically lacking the discipline for a strong martial tradition. Drow and duergar fighters were also somewhat common. Abilities Fighters of all varieties were skilled in the use of the most commonly used weapons and armor, making them highly proficient in the ways of battle. All fighters were adept at both melee and ranged combat, though many fighters put the emphasis of their training on melee. Every fighter had, in addition to their broad knowledge of most weapons, a particular style of fighting that they preferred. Some were specialists in the use of armor or shielding their allies from harm. Others were particularly skilled in the use of great or single-handed weapons. Still others, like rangers, were specialized in the use of ranged weapons or dual wielding. In addition to their proficiency in the use of particular weapons, fighters had a number of other useful combat abilities. Incredibly durable and courageous, fighters were capable of recovering from blows that might kill other warriors, allowing them to sustain themselves for prolonged stretches of combat. Experienced fighters were likewise more resilient to the effects of poisons, spells, or other debilitating effects. Additionally, fighters could push themselves beyond their normal limits every few hours in a burst of energy, allowing them to act and move more quickly. Similarly, experienced fighters were capable of attacking more quickly, up to about four times as quickly as other warriors. Many fighters worked best fighting alongside others and were trained to protect the flanks of allies. When an enemy attacked a friend or ally of these fighters, the fighter was prepared to leap to the ally's defense and distract the foe, decreasing the effectiveness of their attacks. Fighters were also better able to take advantage of flaws in enemies' defenses than most other warriors. Fighter archetypes While all fighters shared a number of generalized combat skills, the direction their abilities took as they gained more experienced varied considerably. Three of the most common archetypes fighters followed are listed below. Battle Master Battle Masters were fighters who'd taken a significant interest in the mastery of strategy and tactics. At their best when supported by other warriors, Battle Masters used their knowledge of history, scientific theory, and artistry to provide themselves an advantage not only on the battlefield, but when facing other challenges as well. As such, Battle Masters were frequently skilled in seemingly unrelated fields, including various forms of crafting. Among the most widely applicable abilities known to Battle Masters was the mastery of maneuvers, martial techniques which allowed them to debilitate enemies or direct allies in order to shift battle conditions to their own advantage. Supporting these maneuvers - which included feints, disarming strikes, and flanking attacks among many other techniques - was the Battle Master's ability to perceive the capabilities of their foes, which allowed an experienced Battle Master to correctly identify the condition and experience of an enemy they'd spent at least a minute fighting. Champion Champions were the culmination of years of honed physical training, the pinnacles of weapons training and durability among fighters. Trained to the peak of mortal physical perfection, Champions were among the most deadly warriors, able to run faster, jump further, and endure more pain than other fighters. Concerned greatly with accurately striking their opponents, Champions focused on precision weapon training early on in their career. This made Champions considerably more likely to strike an enemy than other fighters and they became only more precise with further training. Champions additionally put an emphasis on versatility and experienced Champions were well-versed in not just one, but two fighting styles. The most powerful Champions were also incredibly resilient, capable of sustaining themselves for great lengths of time in combat, even after suffering a serious blow. Eldritch Knight Not all fighters focused solely on martial abilities. A few fighters, in addition to their weapons training and athletic ability, also cultivated a minor proficiency in arcane magic. These fighters, known as eldritch knights, combined their martial skills with spells from the abjuration and evocation schools of magic to grant themselves magical protection or assault several foes at once. The spells that eldritch knights used were similar or identical to those used by wizards, whose arcane training they specifically emulated. Combining martial and arcane power gave eldritch knights an edge in some respects over purists of either tradition. Like wizards, eldritch knights could forge a magical bond with one or two weapons over an extended period of time, allowing them to summon either weapon to their hands at-will. Eldritch knights were also capable of casting spells and fighting at the same time, an ability not common to wizards. And unlike normal warriors, experienced eldritch knights could teleport short distances or breach an enemy's magical resistance to damage. On the other hand, eldritch knights learned spells at a much slower rate than wizards or other pure spellcasters. Reaping Mauler Reaping maulers are the back-breakers, the limb-twisters, and the neck-snappers among pit fighters. Grapplers of the highest order, they wear nothing heavier than light armor in combat to maximize their flexibility, and they use no weapons to achieve their gruesome victories, for they prefer the intimacy of a barehanded kill. Reaping maulers want to be close enough to taunt their opponents in whispers while crushing the life out of them, to smell their fear, and to watch the despair creep over their faces when they realize just how useless their weapons are during a grapple. The techniques of the Reaping Mauler were developed by the Barundar clan Dwarves. Using these barehanded fighting menuvers, they managed to wrestle themselves free from enslavement at the hands of the Ibyth Hobgoblin Empire. Similar techniques were also developed by the Hulese Humans. Deft Movement At 3rd level, while you are wearing light armor and are not wielding a shield, you may add your constitution bonus to your armor class. Mauler Techniques At 3rd level You learn two grappling techniques of your choice, one Martial and one Lock. You can use only one technique per attack. You learn one additional techniques of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new techniques, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. The save DC is equal to 8 + the reaping mauler's proficiency bonus + the reaping mauler's strength or dexterity modifier. Clinch Grip While in a grapple, you may use any extra attacks to attack the creature you are grappling. Monstrous Takedown At 10th level, you gain the ability to grapple with creatures of any size without penalty. Fierce Grapple At 15th level, your grip is deadly. As a bonus action, you may deal damage to all creatures you are grappling, equal to 1d10 + your strength or dexterity modifier. Devastating Grapple At 18th level, If a Reaping Mauler manages to hold an opponent in a grapple for 3 consecutive rounds, the opponent must make a Constitution save (DC 8 + the reaping mauler's proficiency bonus + the reaping mauler's strength or dexterity modifier) or immediately reduced to 0 hitpoints. A creature which is immune to Exhaustion, such as an ooze, is immune to the effect of this ability.